Worst Advice You Have Got From A Hb Shop

[Backlane Brewery]

This was a joke surely Voota? :blink:

My main problem with Melbourne HB shops (warning thread hijack imminent!) is that there simply aren't enough of them, and the ones we do have are either way out in the 'burbs (Greensborough, Edithvale, Oakleigh)
or in awkward northern suburbs (Maidstone, Heidelberg). :angry: The one next to the Queen Vic closes at 5.00pm weekdays and 12.00 on Saturdays, which makes it hard to visit unless you live or work nearby. When is some smart cookie gonna open one in the inner south, say, Caulfield or Elsternwick?

whinge over, back to normal programming...

 

[pint of lager]

These comments are hilarious. Keep them coming.

One of the hardest things is to get a supermarket brewer to step foot into a homebrew store. They need top quality and appropriate advice when they get in the door. They don't need to know about liquid yeasts, but they all need to know about temperature control, sanitation and good ingredients. It is a shame they are not getting good advice from the above comments.

Now, threat hiajack.

I bet there are screamers of stories from the other side of the fence.

 

[Backlane Brewery]

I bet there are screamers of stories from the other side of the fence

Good one PoL.
Come JM, Gerard etc, spill the beans about your favourite customers!
Only the names need to be changed to protect the innocent.

 

[warrenlw63]

One of the hardest things is to get a supermarket brewer to step foot into a homebrew store. They need top quality and appropriate advice

[post="51834"][/post]​

POL,

Could also be argued that if the Supermarket Brewer wanted to do anything other than make cheap piss they'd find out a lot of the information for themselves.

Beginning to wonder if the kit and kilo brewer also lacks a computer and internet connection. :huh:

Basically the brewer who wants to go beyond kit and kilo generally makes the move themselves no matter what.

First time I stepped into a homebrew store I was doing my first partial mash a week later.

Problem being here is a horse can be lead to water be it can't be made to drink.

Warren -

 

[pint of lager]

Very true Warren.

The huge problem is that the info on most supermarket tins is so simplified and often wrong, that the supermarket brewer happily makes up many many bottles, thinking they are the best beers. Even getting over the hurdles of temperature control, sanitation and good ingredients is beyond supermarket brewers because of this simplified set of instructions.

Then you find people who can knock out a very decent kit beer, but have no idea of the process behind the gloop, or how beer is made in a brewery.

To look on the other side of the counter, check out Worst Customer Stories, HBS Workers Tell Tales

 

[user 384]

Thread started on Mar 27 2005, 12:02 AM by an unregistered user. Soon after Jovial enlightens us with his story. Two posts later a completely new user Troob, pipes up and expouses the virtues of the Jovial's store mentioning the exact product they bought and the OG, basically using the exact same language as recent flyer I got from JM.

Jovial Monk
Group: Members
Posts: 1358
Joined: 27-March 03
From: Adelaide
Member No.: 125

Troob
Group: Members
Posts: 1
Joined: 27-March 05
Member No.: 960

Nice to see that you signed up again 2 years later on the exact same date!

Cheers
MAH

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

HBS Guy: "Your funeral mate, not going to be the right beer, won't be a pale ale at all, the golding's will make it far to bloody dark!"

[post="51768"][/post]​

:lol: :lol: :lol:

That is pure gold!

 

[jayse]

If that is true what MAH says than beware anyone who does this you'll be banned! :excl:


Anyway, i haven't had any addvice from the stores wee stu mentioned suck.
Pretty much all i get when i walk into them stores is groans and grunts and give me your money.
Two different shops one around my corner and one on junk food corner all have told me they think grain is a waste of time, so is yeast and hops.
'none of my customers use them'
To keep with the attitude i just groaned and grunted back and walked out both times.
The only thing those guys are good at is stacking up cans on a shelf!

Jayse

 

[mikem108]

My worst advice was early on in my brewing days, only 3 years ago, the guy obvously just wanted to get rid of whatever yeast was in the fridge.
me:I'm making an amber ale what yeast do you have
hbs:try this belgian wit(wlp400)
me:Isn't that for beers like Hoegaarden?
hbs:Nah it'll be great for an ale
me:Are you sure?
hbs:It'll be good

In my ignorance I went with his advice,the vial was way out of date,
the beer ended up tasting wierd , really weird- I never drank a drop of it.

 

[GOLIATH]

And then there's the one about!!!

Seriously folks, I started to die laughing and then realised just how serious this misinformation is for our craft. Thanks too Wee Stu, for the plug. We should be able to mention shops because I would want to know if I had done the wrong thing and also have the opportunity to respond. To me, it makes good commercial sense!

If you collected train sets, the bloke at the train set shop probably collects them too!
If you buy shares, then the stockbroker probably buys them too!
If you buy a computer or printer, chances are that the bloke selling them has them or at the very least a significant interest in them.

I suppose the issue is that anyone working in an HBS should be able to demonstrate/communicate a sound understanding of the brewing process, otherwise they are just a retail store. I don't mean that they should be Einstein brewers but they should be able to pass on sound fundamentals.

After all, it's the brewing result that they are purchasing, not the kit or the grain or the hops, their purchases are merely a means to an end. The Chairman of Black and Decker once said that people don't want 1/4" drills, they want 1/4" holes. The same principle applies to our industry.

So.... If someone really likes the flavour of a Savings brand lager kit and a KG of white sugar and is intent on brewing it. Then our role is to assist him/her make it the best it can be. Nine times out of ten, on this approach alone you will have a customer returning for or purchasing, something better just because we bothered with the fundamentals. As they have NEVER been explained to them.

My favourite (and it's happened many times) is the bloke that comes in and announces that he's been brewing for 15 years and I won't be able to tell him anything!

Him:"G'Day mate, how much is your corn syrup?"
Me: "Which one?"
Him: "You know, Corn syrup for beer"
Me: "You mean Maltodextrin"
Him: "Yeah, that's the stuff"
Me: "I have it from potato, Maize or wheat but they are all different ratings.... What sort of beer are you brewing?"
Him: "I always brew pilsener"
Me: "I wish I could brew pilsener at home in the middle of summer but I don't have the temperature control".. "I can do it here though"
Him: "My heater is set at 26 degrees"
Me: "But how do you get proper pilsener brewing temps of around 13 degrees?"
Him: Looks at me as if i'm from another planet "You can't brew at that temp coz the yeast dies"
Me: "Have a look at this fermenter in the fridge" (11 degrees and bubbling)
Him: "Well I never"
Me: "Have you got 5 minutes for a chat?"

The other laughs happen when we phone to check the knowledge of some of the other Major Chain shops (I won't mention Brewcraft because we are probably not allowed to)

"A mate told me to wet the yeast before putting it in the brewer"
Shop Guy: "Don't worry about that crap mate"
"Why?"
Shop Guy: "It won't make any difference"
"Well I should at least try it, how is it done?"
Shop Guy: "Never done it, Ask your mate"
"Do you brew yourself?"
Shop Guy: "No, I don't like beer, I drink Bundy"
"Thanks for you help mate"
Shop Guy: "No worries"

I have a fermenter here in the shop that I gave ten bucks for to use as a shop display, it is a clear fermenter, turned black. I can't get it clean with the stuff i've got here!

The only comment i got was that he'd followed the instructions and couldn't understand why it was turning his beer off. So much for instructions.

Our friends at Coopers are coming around though. They are soon to put a yeast rehydration instruction in their brewmaster series kits...Small steps but positive.

Regards
Dave

 

[Thunderlips]

When is some smart cookie gonna open one in the inner south, say, Caulfield or Elsternwick?

Someone needs to open a HBS at Werribee Plaza. That place is always so busy I reckon they'd be on a goldmine. The closest to me is in Maidstone. I've been there once, to buy my keg setup, and now just order through their online store every now and then.

 

[deebee]

Ive been to 5 HBSs in Perth and only one bloke knows his stuff Roy at TWOC. The others talk crap rather than admit they dont know or are just plain rude like the bloke at Malthouse. I agree Dave, why not name him so that he gets to know why I drive 40-50km round trip to TWOC instead of 7km to his shop?

Typical AHB story: I have learnt some stuff by reading and by applying it to actual brewing. I dont brew all-grain, but my customer needs are beyond most HBSs. If I were deep into hi-fi, I wouldnt shop at Myer. There might only be one place in town to find what I wanted or mail order. Sadly its much the same with brewing. Not many people who brew at home use malted grains, bulk hops, liquid yeasts or the toys and gizmos we love so much.

Maybe its slowly changing. Do HBS owners/employees notice more people venturing beyond instructions-on-the-can brewing? Do customers say, Thank god I found your shop? Is it just your own efforts to advance your customers brewing practices? Or are they getting inquisitive naturally along with the swell in micros and better quality beers? Hopefully there is room for a few more good craft brewing shops in places where they just dont exist yet. Like near me.

(Big D?)

 

[Hoops]

I was told by a QLD. brew shop AG is a waste of time you can make better beers using my kits.

And nobody in QLD. sells grains

mmmmm :blink:

Batz

PS. I was told may more things as well , may may more , till my ears started to bleed , all over the phone , some of you would now be familiar with the shop...Dicko?

[post="51091"][/post]​

Sounds like I had nearly the exact same conversation with him too:
"Grains a waste of time"
"Dry yeats are far better than any liquid yeast....waste of time those"
and lots & lots & lots & lots of other things

 

[Gerard_M]

I always liked to look at the face of the guy who is seeing a fermentor in a fridge for the first time. It really makes your day.I like to tell people that if its 27 degrees in your lounge room you start to sweat & smell bad. Well so does the beer.

 

[shmick]

I rang the LHBS to ask if they had 5kg of Pale ale malt for an all grain brew:

"Sure mate we got lots of different types"

1/2 hr drive later I walk into the shop to find 10 x 500g pkts of assorted steeping grain (crystal, chocolate etc) sitting on the counter waiting for me.

"You cleaned us out of stock but this should keep you going a while!"

A polite explaination prompted the second reply:

"I can order in what ever you wan't next time. I'll ask my supplier and get back to you with a price. What was it again - pale nail malt?"

The kids learned a few new words on the way home and I've never been back.

 

[kitkat]

just be careful with naming shops, libel laws could apply:
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0...Enbv%5E,00.html

Keep also in mind that the AHB owners are considered to be publishing the posts, and hence can be held responsible as well (even if they don't moderate the posts).

Check out that thread at Whirlpool for more details and information: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=319789

Of course shops named in relation to good experience would probably be happy of the publicity.

In Melbourne: the maidstone grain and grape shop was great, the guy at the counter gave me some hints (I wanted to follow a recipe so I had most of what I needed written down, but he made some helpful suggestions), and it's the only one I found that had liquid yeasts and ESB 15 Kgs pack (cheap too). And let's not forget the half-price liquid yeast if they're older than 6 months (one is busy fermenting right now).

Another shop didn't have much dried malt stock when I needed some, but looked alright (though they close early), so I might give it another try for specific kits and extracts, and a third shop just sold me a "kit converter" with a couple of grunts (first brew). Won't go back to that one.

 

[SteveSA]

just be careful with naming shops, libel laws could apply:
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0...Enbv%5E,00.html

That was from the UK and sounds much more serious than us relating stories about ignorant fools who obviously work in the wrong industry.

I say name them and let them suffer the consequences.

I had a similar experience to Jayse re Brewcraft at junk food junction virtually word for word. The guy has his head buried so far in his great wall of gloop he's closed off to his customers' opinions and demands. But then again, if you go to a monkey house you've got to expect some crap to be thrown your way.

On the whole though I usually receive good advice, not necessarily advice that I always agree with but at least it's based on good brewing principles. My custom goes to brewshops that I know cater to craftbrewing rather than the franchised retail outlets who don't appear interested in anything related to better beer. Benefit of living in Adelaide We're spoilt for choice really.

Check out that thread at Whirlpool for more details and information: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=319789

Can't get access to that thread.

Steve

 

[kitkat]

The original article is about a case in the UK, but don't think that libel laws don't apply in Australia ...

Some relevant quote from that thread:

"The overall shape of Australian defamation law is that a person who 'publishes' an assertion of fact or a comment that

* injures - or, importantly, is 'likely' to injure - the personal, professional, trade or business reputation of an individual or a company
* exposes them to ridicule or
* cause people to avoid them

is guilty of a tort, ie a civil offence. That publisher is liable for damages unless that person can positively justify or excuse the publication in the specific circumstances. In some instances, discussed on the following page, the publisher may instead face sanctions for criminal libel."

Source: http://www.caslon.com.au/defamationprofile2.htm#introduction
...
Publishing defamatory statements on moderated internet forums, such as Whirlpool, can leave the owner/operators of the site exposed to legal action if the defamatory statements are not removed.
...
"Publication is not restricted to mass media such as books, newspapers, magazines, radio and television. In the past it has been taken to encompass dictation of a defamatory letter or receipt of a telegram by a post office clerk. The landmark Rindos decision thus identified that publication included a news item on an electronic bulletin board. If someone other than the plaintiff is involved publication can also encompass web pages, CD-ROMs, files placed in a filesharing facility and email messages.

One particular thread did a similar thing, the named company emailed me threatening straight up legal action, no talk, nothing, just bullying tactics. It ended up that we deleted the thread, and some emails/voice convo's about the thread, and that was that. This person was adamant about going thru the courts over it.

In researching our options, we found out that we (me and 4 other owners of the site) would have been liable for it, as we basically 'publish' the threads, even though its a forum and we dont moderate the threads before they get posted.

Edited quote out of several posts:

Three years ago I got "done" for defamation in WA over a bottle of wine that I claimed in several emails and faxes was substituted for the wine that I actually ordered
I was making robust efforts to simply get a refund for the dodgy bottle, and for the fish that was still part-frozen in the centre when served

At the time I had taken up the matter with the duty manager, who just laughed

So when I got home, I found out the name of the Owner/Manager and pressed for payment, and included some tourist guides, and the named winery in the circulation

Of course the hotel had a copy of each communication, and as others had seen the robust language it was "defamation" even tho that was only half a dozen people

That cost me about $5,000, even though nothing was published in papers, nor broadcast

And that was with me settling out of court to quickly close down legal costs

Had I gone to court, the cost could have been tenfold.

Edit: just putting this in because I see some people name some shops that have a national presence and could easily decide that they're being defamed.

 

[big d]

Hopefully there is room for a few more good craft brewing shops in places where they just don’t exist yet. Like near me.

(Big D?)

[post="51890"][/post]​

i hear you deebee.
reckon the northern suburbs could well and truely do with a good homebrew shop.
is bullsbrook too far away from you?

 

[JasonY]

4077MASH, I believe the meaning was that If people are found to be registering multiple times and talking to themselves (or other such crap) then they will be banned.

On the subject of the thread I am afraid I am unfortunate to live clostest to TWOC in WA so haven't had to listen to any bad advise for quite some time.